


Happy birthday, ya filthy animal

by Arlene0401



Series: If these walls could talk [3]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alien Character(s), Alien Erwin Smith, Aliens, Alternate Universe - Future, Erwin has male and lady bits, Hermaphrodites, M/M, Mates, Multi, No Love Triangle, Nonbinary Character, Polyamory, Switching, consensual pheromone intoxication, everybody gets everybody's d at one point, fated mates, only the happy polys here, something similar to mating cycles, they/them pronouns used for Erwin later
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-20
Updated: 2017-10-20
Packaged: 2019-01-20 05:37:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12426102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arlene0401/pseuds/Arlene0401
Summary: Locked away in one of humanity's "safe zones" ever since Earth has been plagued by what is seen as an alien invasion, Levi is shocked to discover that one of these creatures proves to be his fated mate. Not only that, everything he ever learned about the Paradisians and the world beyond the safe zones is turned upside down. And then there is the calling of a third mate...





	Happy birthday, ya filthy animal

**Author's Note:**

> Part 3 for eruriren weekend 2017, prompt "Future".  
> Initially, all I wanted was to gift Erwin with a double penetration for his birthday. Somehow, the idea got wildly out of hand.

On mornings like this, when he sat on the doorstep wrapped up in the coat he’d nicked from Erwin and listened to birdsong, Levi felt that the Outcasts were truly the blessed beings on the planet.

What had been left of humankind had hermetically locked itself up in huge, overcrowded, stinking safe zones… and left the rest to those it feared. It had been the single most idiotic move in an endless row of idiotic moves, but ever since he had found himself on the other side of the walls he prayed that none of the government officials finally went: “Wait a goddamn moment.”

He puffed smoke from his pipe and watched the tendrils of smoke curl lazily in the still air. It carried the aromas of his favorite morning mixture - coltsfoot, elder leaves, tansy and just a pinch of mint. It was a crisp and reviving scent, tingling the senses. 

The garden and fields stretched in front of him, neatly kempt and fertile, and he felt deep satisfaction at the thought of their well-stocked storage shelves waiting for the long winter. It had taken them years to cultivate the patches of vegetables and fruit, trial and error often not coming out in their favor in the beginning. They had had to learn everything from scratch, using the ancient books they had found, searching for plants and seedlings in long abandoned gardens and carefully transferring them to their own ground.

Hunting and fishing had been adventures of their own, too. They had to learn which animals were edible… and which ones would bite your ass and chase you up a tree if you didn’t manage to kill them swiftly. And processing a carcass to meat and sausage… well. It was a messy task. Eren had come to great mastership at that, and people came from far away to trade yarn, soap or wine for his cured and smoked meat and sausage.

They weren’t many, out here. They had no government, no laws. But instead of going all savage on each other, like the Humans in the cities believed, they tried their utmost to lead peaceful lives and help one another out. Most of them, anyway.

Those who didn’t were quickly and quietly dealt with.

Levi didn’t know if it was the Touch of Paradis that made them this way, or the knowledge that they had the whole world at their disposal. But the Outcasts walked with their heads held high, their eyes were clear and held honesty and quiet confidence. 

It was the nature of the Paradis people that they were of exceptional beauty and grace, but also those humans who had been touched by Paradis had a spark to them that was instantly recognisable.

It hadn’t been the intention of the Paradisians to bring the downfall of humankind. Yet they had done so, and when all their attempts to repair the damage were fruitless they left the planet again. Some stayed behind of their own volition. They took care of the exiled humans, unwilling to leave them to their fate. 

It was typical for humankind to tear itself apart upon meeting one of the most blessed and peaceful races in the universe.

The Paradisians were very humanlike in appearance, albeit taller, more handsome, with flawless features. They were deeply connected to all living matter and energy, with the help of pheromones and energy fields. Where a Paradisian walked, plants grew faster and taller, their Touch healed many diseases. One of the names that was given them was Gods of Fertility.

They demanded nothing, driven only by the wish to research and communicate. Yet their arrival spiked nothing but alarm and hostility, and the powers they held only served to raise the fears that humankind instinctively felt. Being predators and conquerors themselves, they couldn’t imagine a race that travelled space without wanting to destroy and dominate. The physical and chemical allure of the Paradis people was seen as a threat, as a means to ensnare and enslave. And the changes of those humans that had experienced the Touch seemed to prove their point. The connection to a Paradisian was a powerful, living thing, and those who were extremely sensitive to it could be left doped and blissed out for long stretches of time, and even when they returned to “normal”... they weren’t normal anymore. Without knowing it, humans had a lot of the same potential lying dormant within them, and once tapped those powers were awakened for good. And so, it could be passed on, from one human to another.

Hysteria broke loose.

Faced with what they saw as an alien parasitic plague, humans did the only thing they knew. They waged war. Against the Paradisians, against the Touched, against one another. On the brink of annihilation, they had retreated into “safe zones”, cutting off all and any contact to the outer world. Lived off recycled water, recycled air, artificially fabricated nutrition. Anyone who was Touched - or suspected of it - was instantly expelled.

Few left the cities of their own volition. Some because they were adventurous, some because they perceived the call of a mate.

The Paradisians were drawn to their mate by instinct and formed lifelong bonds. Levi had never heard of a bond that was broken. No one even knew if it was theoretically possible… because no one had ever had the wish to end one. Paradis mating bonds were nothing less than perfect.

And they could mate humans.

**********

Six years ago, Levi had felt the Call. Not knowing what it was, he had brushed it off as something that felt similar - a bout of melancholia. At first, it was a sweet ache, faint and distant, but it had grown steadily in intensity. Soon, he was yearning, longing for something that he didn’t have a name for. Sure, he was sick of his treadmill of a life, hoarded together with countless other sweating bodies in factories and packed public transport and tiny shoeboxes that counted as living space. But he hadn’t known anything else for his entire life, the outside world a rumour that was only ever mentioned in fearful, hushed conversations. The wilderness, full of fierce, predatory creatures, sirens that lured you in and ate your heart.

The ache had grown almost unbearable until one night, unable to sleep, he went for a forbidden walk during curfew. A tiny green rectangle was his destination, a boxed-in square between skyscrapers that sported a couple of tenacious blades of grass on trampled dirt, a sickly little tree and a bench.

The man on the bench looked like he had all the time in the world as he sat there, elbows on his knees, and regarded the rustling grass at his feet. The closer Levi got, the stronger the magnetic pull became.

Bright eyes flicked up to him, piercingly blue even in the dark, and Levi knew what this man was. Everything he was taught about them should have told him to run, but he wasn’t scared. Not when the man smiled so fondly like he saw an old, long missed friend.

“You shouldn’t be here,” was the first thing Levi said to his chosen mate.

The man only smiled wider. He had a face of classic beauty, angular and harmonious like a marble statue, but lacked entirely the cold perfection. Instead, his eyes were warm and kind, his smile sincere. He wore his golden hair was swept back from the forehead.

“You shouldn’t be here either,” was the soft reply.

Levi sat down on the edge of the bench. “Did you… come for me?”

“Yes. I felt your Call. It led me here.”

Now, up close, Levi could make out a hint of dark shadows underneath the man’s eyes. It seemed that he, like Levi, hadn’t gotten much sleep lately.

“Do I have to? And what will you do to me? Drug me and eat my heart?”

For a second, the man looked baffled, then he laughed. “Is that what they say about us?” He shook his head, still chuckling. “You don’t have to come with me. What we felt was the mating Call, and while it is powerful, you are free to consider and decide against it. It will be unpleasant for a while, but eventually it will wear off. Nature is not so cruel to force us into a bond if we are unwilling.”

“And what if this Call got it wrong? What if I go with you, have second thoughts and want to return? Or if _you_ have second thoughts and dump my ass somewhere in the wilderness?”

Rationally, Levi knew he shouldn’t even be discussing this with some weirdo he’d met at night in a park. Instinct told him another story. His whole being sang with the rightness of this meeting.

“Second thoughts? Why should we have second thoughts? A bond is perfect.” A frown rippled the man’s forehead. “Don’t humans mate forever?”

At this, Levi had to laugh. “Hell no. They break up all the time. They cheat and lie and make each other’s life miserable.”

The blond looked positively appalled. “A mating bond is not like that. As I said, once it’s formed, it’s perfect. We are given the mate that is, in every aspect, compatible. We are destined to complete each other. However, I will give you time to decide. I’m aware my presence… influences humans, and I want you to make your decision with a sober mind. If you do chose to mate me, you have my word that I will never do you any harm or hurt you. And I will certainly not _dump your ass somewhere in the wilderness_.” The last words sounded wryly amused. “You have quaint ideas about what the world outside these walls looks like, little human.”

He got up and stretched. Levi ogled shapely legs that seemed to go on forever and completely forgot to bristle at being called little.

“Levi. My name’s Levi.”

“I’m Erwin. I’ll come back tomorrow night, if that’s okay with you.”

“Yes, that’s fine,” he replied absently and watched Erwin stroll across the plush grass. Then he snapped out of it. _Plush grass?_ He looked down. The grass was thick and an inky black hue in the darkness, but something told Levi that it would look lusciously green in the daylight. The tree next to the bench had grown a healthy looking leafy canopy.

Levi scurried home, but sleep eluded him for the rest of the night.

When he left his room the next night, he carried a small duffle bag with some changes of clothes, a couple of necessities and a photograph of his mother. Clad in thick work pants, his sturdiest pair of boots and an all-purpose jacket, he felt at least minimally prepared for the wilderness. He left the door open - he wouldn’t return anyway.

Levi wasn’t really surprised when he spotted Erwin standing in the entrance of his building. The green explosion in the park had been a small sensation and had drawn a lot of suspicion and surveillance. Going back there would be madness.

On turning around and seeing him, Erwin practically radiated joy. Levi could feel it like an electric torrent, and a dandelion sprang up from a crack in the pavement.

“Woah. Can you tune it down a little with your psychic powers or whatever it is? That was strong.”

Erwin looked sheepish. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t really control it. I’ll try to contain it a little more until you’re used to it, but I’m just so happy.” Gallantly, he relieved Levi of his bag, although he would have been perfectly fine carrying it himself.

“It’s not psychic,” he explained quietly as they slinked down the street, “we are tuned into the ebb and flow of living energy. And you will be the same. Humans have the potential to feel and influence it, but they need to be Touched.” He took Levi’s hand and held it. “I have talked to humans that are mated. It’s nothing to be afraid of. They said it was like they were born again. Like they had been blind all the time and could finally see. I have no comparison, since I was born like this. It must be dreadful, walking the world and not feeling it.”

He led Levi through a labyrinth of alleyways, through deserted industrial compounds and silent machine parks. Finally, as the dawn was already colouring the horizon, they reached a winding road that led up into some hills. Centuries of ore mining had left a maze of tunnels in the mountain, additional to natural caves and passages.

“Amazing that you found your way through here,” Levi remarked as Erwin retrieved a chunk of quartz that was hidden behind a rock outcrop. In his hand, it lit up in a warm glow.

“I could say love has given me wings, but I have a feeling you’d only roll your eyes at me.”

“Damn right I would.”

Erwin sighed in mock exasperation. “Why do I have to end up with a mate who’s immune to wooing? You’re spoiling me of all the fun.”

“Now who’s complaining? It was you who said matches are perfect. You only get what you deserve.”

Only when he grasped Erwin’s hand and followed him into the mountain did it really strike Levi that he was about to give up literally everything for the sake of a total stranger, to trade a tiring but pretty predictable life for who knew what unknown dangers. And yet he was completely content with his choice, confident that Erwin would provide, that they would find happiness and prosperity. Everything in him told him that he was doing the right thing, that everything he had accepted as universal truth before was wrong.

Surprisingly fast, they saw grey light filtering in from somewhere ahead. When they emerged, Levi found himself in a place where the rock gave way to gentle, grass-covered slopes.

For the first time in his life, he saw a horizon.

His view had always been limited by the enormous walls surrounding the safe zone and the giant glass dome that spread over it. Buildings in the city were tall due to the lack of space, but you still couldn’t see past the walls. The only thing visible from the inside was the sky.

Now, he could make out rolling hills, clusters of trees and bushes, rivers. A world so vast it only vanished in the dim mist miles and miles ahead. His head couldn’t even grasp the concept of such distances, and he staggered, suddenly dizzy.

Far ahead, where the green mingled to soft blue and grey, the sun rose out of the mists and clouds, a hot orange ball that coloured the sky in shades of pink, orange and yellow.

A worthy mating gift indeed.

Levi whirled around and grabbed the lapels of Erwin’s coat, and before the taller man could even voice his surprise he was pulled down into a desperate kiss. It had neither finesse nor reservation. Levi himself was surprised at the primal hunger that was flaring up in him, but Erwin certainly didn’t seem to mind. He complied willingly when Levi pushed and shoved him to a sitting position on the ground and started pawing at his clothes.

“Aren’t you a fiery one, little human,” he said with a hint of amusement when Levi had managed to wrestle the coat off his shoulders and dove under his pullover to explore the skin hidden underneath.

Levi re-emerged, face red. “Shut up, that’s only your stupid pheromones or something that get me so worked up.”

Erwin raised his hands in a “sue me” gesture and grinned. “I can’t help it with such a desirable being around.” He stopped Levi when he ducked in for another kiss. “But if you… I mean, I can try to contain them if you’re not ready. I don’t want to seduce you into something you don’t truly want.”

Levi huffed. “I’m more ready for this than I’ve been for anything in my entire life. But okay, it’s embarrassing and that’s just the way I am when I’m embarrassed.” He shrugged out of his jacket and unceremoniously pulled the sweatshirt over his head, skin breaking out in gooseflesh in the cool morning air. But somehow it felt important to shed every bit of clothing, and he had a feeling he would get very warm very soon.

Erwin’s eyes darkened, and he wet his lips. “You’re so beautiful. My mate.” Now, he didn’t stop Levi from kissing him and held him close while slim hands explored his body.

At the fly of Erwin’s pants, Levi hesitated. “I’d rather ask this beforehand, are you going to sprout tentacles at me from down there or something?” When the blond quirked an inquisitive eyebrow, he defiantly added: “Well, you _are_ an alien, so who knows? I would just like to know if I’m going to get seized by some weird appendages.”

Erwin barked a laugh. “No weird appendages. Only the normal bits. Well, normal for my kind. And what tells me that what you have got isn’t so hideously appalling that I’m going to run for safety?”

That made sense. Levi’s body may be normal to him, but to an alien his physique may be just as revolting as vice versa. He joined in Erwin’s laughter.

“Well, I too have the normal bits for _my_ kind. Okay, I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”

He got up from where he’d been straddling Erwin and, only with a hint of self-consciousness, toed off the boots, opened the fly and stepped out of his pants. With the chilly air and talk of alien bits his erection had flagged to half-mast again. Erwin eyed it with keen interest.

“I see. So you’re one of the males of your kind?”

“Uh. Wasn’t that bloody obvious even without having to take a look at my dick first?”

Erwin’s smile was nothing short of enigmatic. He lay back down and raised his hips to pull his jeans down. What he revealed looked reassuringly similar to a human penis.

“I mean, you’re male too, so -”

“Look closer,” Erwin said softly and spread his legs. Sure enough, his dick seemed to raise from a kind of slit. He had no balls, instead the slit continued and deepened to an opening. Levi was enthralled.

“We don’t have different genders, just variations of the same kind.”

“It’s beautiful,” Levi blurted out. “You’re beautiful.” He considered the concept and had to admire the beauty and simplicity of it. “So, you can just… choose whatever you feel like doing?”

“We can mate in whatever way we prefer,” Erwin replied, dark voice full of delicious promise. His hands skimmed playfully over his firm stomach. “So tell me, little mate… which will it be?”

“Uh, all of them?”

In the end, that was pretty much what they did.

And not only Erwin’s anatomy made it the best sex Levi had ever had. Something stirred in him at the first touch of Erwin’s hand, some hidden sense that felt like opening eyes in the dark. Blind and probing at first, he became more and more aware of his surroundings. The soft grass on which they lay, reaching out to the trees in the vicinity, into the soil. He could feel the grass growing, secret life burrowing through the ground, the flow of water in the roots. The closer he connected with Erwin, the closer he got to his own life source, became a part of everything around them. Pushing and pulling at each other like the tides, they filled each other again and again, and when he cried out the ecstasy of his final climax his ears drummed with the gigantic low humming that was Earth herself.

Tears spilled from wide open, unseeing eyes, and he sobbed, overwhelmed. Erwin cradled him close, curled around him protectively, sent out tendrils of soothing energy that wove around him like a soft cocoon of love and light. Finally he calmed down and dozed off into a sleep of pure exhaustion.

When he woke up, he noticed that the clearing that surrounded them was suspiciously more green. Tenderly reaching out he could ascertain that indeed everything had received a considerable bout of energy. Interesting.

Erwin taught him how to open and shut down his senses, and how he could use his abilities to influence other beings. His potential was much more limited than Erwin’s, but still he could read creatures and release small amounts of different pheromones at will. Strong emotions often resulted in unintentional waves of energy and scent, but that was the same for Erwin. Levi reckoned it was something akin to blushing - an instinctive reaction of the body that was honest and, in its own way, endearing.

Slowly but surely they made their way south to what Erwin had declared his - their - home. Levi pondered a lot over the questions of gender and etiquette considering the Paradis people - although Erwin repeatedly told him he shouldn’t worry over it - and asked if it was okay to use they/them as pronouns. It didn’t feel right to treat Erwin as a default male just because their appearance looked male at first glance to a human. Erwin kissed his forehead and told him to do whatever made him happy, and they/them it was.

The lands were largely empty, but every now and again they met other Outcasts. Some were Paradisian, some human, others mixed. The Paradisians were indeed variable in their appearance, some androgynous, some leaned more towards the “male” or “female” spectrum of Levi’s human-based experience. All were soft spoken and welcoming,offering food and rest to the freshly mated pair.

Erwin’s home was a tiny cottage tucked away in a corner of a wide valley. It was cosy enough, but something immediately told Levi that they wouldn’t stay here forever. As happy as they were together, this was just a phase of waiting. A tiny spark of energy here and there, a distant flutter that eluded all questing and probing told them there was something more for them. _Someone_ more. Their bond wasn’t complete yet. From time to time, Erwin caught him concentrating hard, reaching out as far as he could, and they laughed. 

“So anxious to meet your new mate, little human? I’m almost worried I’m not satisfying you enough.” Their tone was teasing, but Levi scented arousal. By now it was easier for him to resist the pull of Erwin’s pheromones… that was, if he wanted to. He never did. But feigning disinterest and watching Erwin get all worked up over it was one of his favorite games.

This time, it ended with him belly down and ass up on the bed and screaming out his release as Erwin’s pulsing cock filled him up with hot come. Oh yes. Teasing the blond was definitely worth it.

The next morning, Levi woke up with a sharp pain in his chest, clutching at the sheets in confusion, only to hear Erwin gasp softly. They stared at each other. Finally, their mate was calling.

As they dressed, Levi contemplated how different this felt from Erwin’s calling. That had been a slowly growing, bittersweet longing and aching. This was… sharp and pulsing with energy, sending him on edge. It thrummed through his veins in anticipation and urgency. 

“What does this mean?” he asked Erwin and rubbed at his sternum for the umpteenth time. “Are they in danger or something?”

“The Call is usually significant of the person’s character. Seems like we caught ourselves a regular hotspur.” Erwin smiled. “I wonder what our combined Call feels like.”

It directed them further south, their purposeful stride informing everybody of their mission. It was a mere couple of hours until another safe zone came into view, a moloch of concrete and glass against the horizon.

“Oof. Do we have to break in, like you had to get me?”

Erwin closed their eyes for a moment and shook their head. “No. They’re already moving towards us.”

“What?” Levi was incredulous. When he had felt it, he had had no idea what it was, let alone how to act on it.

“As I said. Hotspur.”

The wall was erected right on the ruins of a city, and it was possible that old forgotten cellars or service shafts still provided some sort of access. Wildlife had conquered the city back, and plants broke apart stone and concrete with basic physics and infinite patience. Bushes and even trees were busy absorbing man-made structures and conquering territory.

Erwin and Levi rounded collapsed buildings and piles of rubble, and the Call throbbed more and more.

Under a tree, they found a dog.

It was a feral, skinny looking animal, and it raised its hackles and snarled at their arrival.

“Are you shitting me? A dog?” Levi asked.

Erwin didn’t answer. They were intently focused on the animal and advanced slowly. The dog went nearly berserk.

“Erwin, are you sure you -” A raised hand stopped him from continuing the sentence. Erwin radiated a great calmness, let it wash across the street. The dog stopped barking and whined. Then it sniffed the tree one last time and trotted off. They watched it disappear around a corner.

“Man, that was close. You’re a real lifesaver.”

They looked up at the tree, and a boy stared back down at them. He let a backpack drop in front of Levi’s feet, then plopped down to the ground himself. He wiped his hands on his jeans legs and grinned.

“You’re the ones I’m looking for, right?”

Levi took in a slender form, not entirely shaped out yet, tousled brown hair, green eyes and a charming smile. But -

“No fucking way. You’re but a kid.”

“I’m nineteen.” Unfazed. “And you’re my mates!” Those startling eyes roamed over them in appreciation. “And fucking hell, what delectable exemplars.”

“Wait, so you knew about this whole mating thing? That’s not exactly advertised in the cities.”

“Well, there’s always rumours. And last year my best friend vanished, but she left me a note explaining her mate had come for her and that I shouldn’t worry about her but be happy. Ever since then I’ve been kind of hoping I would be picked and get out of there. When I sensed you guys I grabbed my bag and ran.”

He stepped even closer, placing his hands on both their hips without a hint of hesitation. “I found this exit, but damn if I had known just what was waiting for me I would have climbed the fucking wall if I had to.” His voice dropped to a low purr. “Hi, I’m Eren. Please take care of me.”

Erwin was about to speak, but Levi interjected. “Erwin, I think your whole ‘think it over with a sober head’ speech is wasted here. The kid has already made up his mind.” He turned to Eren.

“I’m Levi, and they are Erwin.”

Confusion rippled in green eyes. “They?”

Levi grinned. “Trust me, you will absolutely _love_ finding out all about it.”

He could see Eren’s pupils dilating in arousal, sensed Erwin’s and his own lust coiling thick in the air. He remembered how strongly Erwin had affected him back when they’d met. With a tremendous effort, he reigned himself back in. This boy deserved better than losing it among dirty ruins.

Sensing his withdrawal, Erwin pulled back too. They smoothed Eren’s confused frown at what doubtlessly felt like rejection with careful fingers.

“I am so happy to meet you, Eren.” His name rolled reverently from their lips. “Will you come home with us?” They held out a hand for him to grasp, and Levi mirrored the gesture.

From one second to the next, the bright smile was back in place, and Eren slipped the straps of the backpack over his shoulders before taking both their hands. During the hours it took them to get back to the cottage, and the short break they took to eat something, he talked nearly nonstop. Intermittently, he made not so subtle advances at them and pouted at being shooed off and promised a good time once they were behind closed doors. Levi could practically _hear_ Erwin smirking at him, remembering how they had fucked each other stupid out in the open without a care in the world. But he deliberately ignored it. He had a hard enough time already trying not to jump Eren’s bones when the kid was draping himself all over them, doe-eyed and needy.

He couldn’t really blame Eren for being such a horny shit - being exposed to both Erwin’s and his pheromones would have been taxing even for firmer characters, let alone for such an obstinate little spitfire. How his abilities would develop after he received the Touch - it was going to be interesting. And intense.

Watching Erwin chat with Eren, all soft smiles and affectionate touches while they walked, Levi marvelled again at how mates worked. Even after only just meeting, without knowing much about each other, minds and hearts were already getting tuned in, forming a depth of fondness and caring that, under humans, only came with months and years. They were both already head over heels for the boy, and once they were mated… spending a day without seeing his smile would be just as inconceivable as waking up without Erwin’s secure embrace.

Finally, their cottage came into view, and once they passed the threshold all reservation was null and void. The had no reason to deny Eren anymore - and their patience was stretched paper thin as well. Levi couldn’t wait to get his hands and mouth on every inch of honeyed skin. Undressing was no easy task with all three of them groping and grinding against each other, and by the time they had stumbled to the bed they were still tangled in shirts and pants that were halfway off.

Levi scoffed and disengaged himself for a moment to get rid of the pants leg he was still stuck in, as well as the shirt that was hanging off his shoulder with a tear in the collar. Then he resolutely freed the other two from their garments, and the moment Eren saw what Erwin had in store for him, Levi knew he’d have to be content in playing second violin for a while.

Eren cocked his head to this side and that, crawled closer to get a better view, and then he dove in face first with eager delight. Smiling, Levi lay down next to him, arranging them so he could grind their erections together, every now and then being rewarded with a messy kiss that tasted of Erwin’s delicious juices before Eren continued to explore every tiny detail of the strange and wonderful anatomy before him.

They continued playing until the sinking sun set the dust motes that drifted through the air on fire and Eren shuddered through a last overwhelming orgasm between them, driving into Levi and impaling himself on Erwin’s cock. Levi watched tears spill from green eyes as the vastness of _everything_ crashed over him, and he cradled Eren’s head against his chest. He remembered how the onslaught of emotions and sensations had left him breathless and reeling.

The tucked Eren close between them, kept him safe, engulfed him with love and affirmation until he sobbed himself to sleep, the deep and dreamless sleep that would bring him the change.

He had a little more difficulty attuning to his abilities than Levi, his impatience and stubbornness to bend them to his will leaving him haywire and exhausted. It wreaked havoc on his mates’ nerves too, his attempts causing angry and forceful ripples in the peaceful flow of forces. Again and again, Erwin sat him down to meditate and find his balance and focus. Under their guidance, he made progress in his own way. He always remained a quick torrent, playful and filled with raw energy. Refreshing and irresistible. He tugged and tapped at Levi’s carefully schooled and channelled energy, intertwined with Erwin’s quiet earthbound drift and flow. 

This time, they all felt the completeness of their bond. These three were meant to be, no void and vacant places remaining, no anxious waiting and anticipating.

The only thing missing was Home.

It didn’t call them like mate did. It appeared like a warm spot on their mental maps, pulled them in with unerring aim. Levi was a little amused to compare themselves to homing pigeons. It was a beautiful summer day when they packed their belongings and left the cottage, leaving everything clean and tidy. They were thankful for the shelter it had provided, and who knew - maybe it would be someone else’s Home one day.

They sensed it wasn’t a far journey, and so they weren’t in a particular hurry to get there. It only took three days on foot, three nights sleeping wrapped up in forest fern and rustling grass. Levi didn’t mind roughing it. But he sure as hell did hope that Home would be equipped with some means to clean up. Maybe even bathe. A bathtub would be absolute heaven.

Home proved to be huge. It was an ancient building overviewing the landscape, the once carefully maintained gardens and park having long ago grown into merry wilderness. Some cheeky bushes had crept over the lawn to lean against the windows, flowers had abandoned their patches to grow wherever they liked, and the lawn itself had become a hip-deep sea of grass and wild flowers.

They filed in and waited in the gloom of the hallway until their eyes adjusted. No one else was around, and no one hadn’t been here in a long time, they sensed.

Silently, they ambled through endless flights of rooms and corridors. The neglect of ages was apparent everywhere, in the layer of thick dust, the moth-eaten carpets and upholstery, the bleached and faded curtains and wallpapers. Long ago, it seemed like some vandals had camped here, ruined furniture and smashed windows, and Levi felt a spike of irritation. This was _Home_ , it was _theirs_ , and some mindless idiot -

Erwin’s hand lay between his shoulderblades, grounding and calming. He took a deep breath, turned his head to see the same anger in Eren’s eyes.

“This is a _good_ place,” the brunet said. “It doesn’t deserve this treatment. People were meant to be happy here.”

“It is a good place,” Erwin agreed. “And we will treat it with all the respect it deserves. These bad people - they only drifted through like a bad dream. People have been happy here before, and we will cleanse it and fill it with joy again.”

They stored their bags in what had once been the kitchen, then fanned out. They opened all windows that would budge to let the sun and air in, and cleansed the place with burning sage from top to bottom.

“The one good thing about ass old houses,” Levi said as he piled wood in the ancient stove, “is that everything works without electricity and shit. Now, whoever gets the water pump running earn themselves a blowjob. Any volunteers?”

“Already on it,” Eren’s voice drifted in from the adjoining scullery. He grunted and huffed, accompanied by the tired complaints of rusted mechanisms roused from their long slumber. Levi peeked around the corner. Eren had spread out a cloth and lined up a small oil can and all kinds of tools on it, and set to the stubborn pump handle with a grim determination as if his life depended on it.

Levi ambled over and placed a kiss on the side of his head. “Don’t give yourself a hernia.”

Erwin drifted through the rooms once more, trying to figure out which ones would be most suitable for them, and when they came back they showed a huge smile.

“Come here, you’re going to love this.”

They led the way up one flight of stairs that branched off the corridor near the kitchen. It was one of the lesser guest rooms apparently, but it had a lovely view and an en suite bathroom. Complete with a clawed foot bathtub. Eren groaned when he spotted yet another pump to repair, but in the face of Levi’s thrilled delight he promised to deal with it right away.

Levi watched him as he rolled up his sleeves. “That doesn’t mean you get a second blowjob, you know.”

Eren turned his head with a mischievous grin, not missing the way Levi ogled his back and arm muscles stretching and flexing. “Oh, it was definitely something more than a blowjob that I had in mind as a thank you for my effort.”

“We will not, I repeat absolutely not, fuck in my bathtub.”

_(author’s note: They totally fucked in the bathtub.)_

One after the other, they cleared and cleaned the rooms they planned on using, moved furniture, replaced carpets, spread their personal belongings there. They came across a section that was closed off from the rest of the house and refurbished, probably some time during the 20th or 21st century by the looks of it. The rooms made a comfortable little apartment, and everything breathed the loving hand that had cared for them. Before the occupant had left, they had straightened everything out, from the clean dishes to the carefully spread comforter on the bed. Since everything depended on electricity and gas here, they couldn’t use the apartment and tiptoed out again.

In the small hallway, Erwin stopped and frowned. There was a magnetic board on the wall, maybe for pinning up notes or shopping lists or snapshots, and there was a single item held in place by a plain red magnet. It was a postcard showing some beautiful beach, with _Greetings from Florida_ printed across the image. Gingerly, they took the postcard off and turned it around. It read: “Wish you were here. We love you so much. E and E”. Who were E and E? Parents? Siblings? Friends or lovers? Whoever they were, Erwin hoped that they and the person the postcard was addressed at had made it through the riots and wars. Carefully, they put the card back in place.

**********

Levi sensed Eren approaching even before he heard him. Woolen blanket wrapped firmly around his shoulders and with bleary eyes, he sat down next to Levi and snuggled close. Six years had seen him grown another couple of inches and filling with muscle. Hard physical work and healthy, nutritious food had a pleasant effect on all of them. Erwin had been used to it since birth, but the two humans had positively flourished since they left the sickly atmosphere and artificial nutrients of the safe zones. Much to his chagrin, Levi hadn’t grown any more in height, but he had gained several pounds of muscle on his already fit frame. Now, he could bench press Eren without breaking a sweat whenever the brunet teased him as “little mate”.

He wrapped an arm around the younger man’s shoulder and pulled him closer, earning himself a pleased little exhale. As energetic as Eren was, he was a spectacular cuddler, and Levi seldom tired of indulging him, watching his eyes droop and his breath even out until he was relaxed and nearly liquid under his ministrations. Sometimes he reminded Levi of an overgrown puppy, tearing about without ever tiring only to flop over and become boneless under a few belly scratches.

He took a last drag on his pipe and gently nudged Eren. “Time to make breakfast. We’ll need something decent in our bellies.”

Eren perked up at the mention of breakfast. “Yeah, right. It’s about time, isn’t it?”

Levi knew Eren wasn’t talking about the meal time, but about the season. They had some taxing but very gratifying days ahead of them.

Erwin’s birthday, and the peak of his mating cycle.

Paradisians could have - and did have - sex all year long, but once a year, curiously enough around their respective birthdays, their hormone production reached a high that resembled a heat or rut. It was the only time their considerate and accommodating mate became demanding and needy, and Eren and Levi were eager to please.

For Erwin was entirely irresistible in their peak time. More beautiful than ever, glowing, ethereal. Tasting and smelling so delicious it was addictive.

And oh, so filthy and shameless.

Erwin had set them down and explained everything beforehand. How it would affect their mood and behaviour, and how they would influence their mates. A Paradisian’s pheromones became more powerful than ever at peak time, and their bodily fluids - semen, slick, saliva, sweat - had a strong aphrodisiac effect. So strong, in fact, it was bound to ensnare a mate and effectively put them into a state of lustful euphoria. It was vital for Erwin that their mates understood the situation and decided whether they would be willing to let themselves be intoxicated. Erwin had dealt with their peaks for many years and was perfectly capable to do so again on their own.

“So basically you’re saying if we stay near you, we’ll get drugged and have nonstop mindblowing sex for a couple of days,” Eren summarised. Erwin nodded.

“And you want us to consider if we’re ready for that because once it starts, we won’t be able to consciously say yes or no.” Levi.

“I can completely understand if you refuse, and I will just retreat and weather it out if you do.”

After exchanging one glance with Levi that wordlessly communicated everything, Eren reached across the table to squeeze Erwin’s hand. “Munchkin, this is part of who and what you are, and we want to share it with you. I mean,” he blushed slightly, “hot and steamy sex is definitely a bonus, but you catch my drift. We love you, and we want to take care of you.”

“I won’t be myself really. I will get really... pushy and demanding and moody.”

“I see no difference to your current self,” Levi muttered, and they laughed. Erwin seemed relieved, like a weight had been lifted off their shoulders.

“Deep in my heart, I had hoped for this answer,” they admitted. “As far as I know, it intensifies and strengthens the bond incredibly.”

After that first peak they spent together, all three of them looked forward to it every year, although Erwin still made it a point to remind them that there _was_ a way out for their mates, should they wish so.

Levi meticulously extinguished and cleaned his pipe, and the two men got up and trotted to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. They always made sure to prepare nutritious meals during Erwin’s peak, and squirrelled away extra tasty treats and nibbles for them throughout the year. It was a time to spoil their mate rotten, to celebrate their bond and their love. 

Breakfast was flatbread, jam, honey, smoked venison, scrambled eggs with onions and herbs, apple juice and herbal tea. Levi set a hearty stew on the back of the stove for later that day, and Eren carefully lit a beeswax candle and put it on a small cake that was lavishly filled with Erwin’s favorite dried fruits and nuts.

They exchanged some giddy kisses before hurrying to the bedroom with the heavily laden tray, and in hindsight they should have been prepared for the view that greeted them.

Erwin was on their knees on the bed, three fingers thrusting ruthlessly into their ass. Face in the pillows, they let out little groans and gasps, moisture leaking from their hard cock and pulsing slit.

“Woah. Erm. Happy birthday, munchkin?”

“Nothing like some good old self lovin’ to start the day, eh?”

Erwin peeled an eye open. “Hmm, I missed you.”

Levi ignored the lust already coursing through his veins and sat down on the edge of the bed. “And here we are, peaches, with some special breakfast extra for you.”

“I baked a cake,” Eren added and sat down on the other side. He sounded nonchalant, but his blown pupils betrayed how much he was affected already, just being in the proximity of his mate.

“Cake?” Erwin’s demeanor changed in a millisecond, and the turned around and sat up with childlike glee. “Aw, you shouldn’t have!”

“Everything for you, munchkin.” Eren kissed them gently, and Levi followed. Just chaste pecks, but Erwin’s lips kindled a fire in their mates’ guts nonetheless. Eren went to get a wet washcloth and a towel for Erwin to clean their hands. All three dug into the meal with healthy appetite, and it was quickly diminished to nothing but a few crumbs. Afterwards, Levi ushered everybody to clean their teeth.

He had hardly returned from bringing the tray back to the kitchen when Erwin was all over him, already having rid a dazed Eren from his clothes. Hands effortlessly reaching everywhere underneath Levi’s clothes, kisses scorching and intoxicating. Erwin’s tongue in his mouth left Levi dizzy and coming apart at the seams already, and he welcomed it. Welcomed it like he always did, this heady rush that only his mate could give him. He didn’t fight it, willingly let himself get pulled under.

Levi shed his clothes haphazardly and guided Erwin over to the bed, where Eren was already awaiting them, cock at full attention.

Now that they were about to get what they wanted, Erwin moved languidly, fully aware all eyes were glued to every dip and curve of their firm body. 

Once they were all settled on the bed and scooted close, pretty much all conscious thought flew out of the window. What Levi and Eren knew and felt was that their mate needed them. Together, they left no inch of skin untouched, no desire uncared for. Legs thrown wide, Erwin writhed between them while Levi slowly ran his mouth up and down their length and Eren fingered their ass open with the help of the slick from their leaking slit. Although primal lust burned in their veins like liquid fire, there was no haste, no roughness and violence; a steadily growing pulse of passion and desire filled the room, ebbed through the house and out into the grounds.

A content sigh left Erwin’s lips as they were finally filled by two throbbing cocks. Eren and Levi set an easy rhythm, rocking the pliant body between them and letting Erwin ride on a tidal wave. During their peaks, what Erwin enjoyed most was getting fucked over and over again until they were a dripping mess. They scrambled for purchase at their lovers’ bodies, pulling them closer, deeper. Told them in every filthy detail how much they loved it, how amazing it felt.

Buried balls deep in Erwin’s divine pulsing heat, kissed senseless, Levi’s climax approached much faster than he would have liked, but he saw in Eren’s eyes that he was just as gone and only holding on by a thread. 

“God, you feel so fantastic, peaches, we can’t hold on much longer… can you come for us?” Levi breathed against Erwin’s neck. He reached down to stroke Erwin’s cock, and under the assault of pleasure the blond didn’t stand a chance.

Their loud cry was utter ecstasy, and the rhythmic contractions of their climax tipped Levi over the edge. Two, three more thrusts and Eren groaned out his release. They panted quietly, hips circling slowly to ride out their orgasms.

Eren licked a stripe up Erwin’s neck and elicited a shiver. “Does that feel good? Being full of our come?”

“Hmm, feels really good.” Erwin all but purred, sated and content for the moment.

They rested for a while, exchanging lazy kisses and whispered love confessions, basking in the warm flow of energy. It rippled and flowed in steady, powerful currents, seeped into the grounds. Drifting off to sleep, Levi’s mind followed it, felt it spreading and growing. Felt nature greeting it back, rejoicing in the celebration of life. He snuggled a little closer to Erwin and felt Eren do the same on his side, both so incredibly grateful for this divine creature in their arms that had turned their lives upside down.

Outcasts they were, and truly the blessed beings walking this planet.

**Author's Note:**

> Since this belongs to the "If these wall could talk" series, their Home is the same place as in the other parts, Netherfield in Hertfordshire, England.  
> In case you wondered, the small separate apartment they find belonged to modern day Levi from part 2.


End file.
